The Not Quite Beautiful But Rather Cute Princess
by Firespirit1
Summary: A princess has her fondest wish granted and finds it isn't what she expected. This is only the second draft so any reviews would be greatly appreciated.


Once Upon A Time.....  
  
In the land of Teribanta there was a not quite beautiful but rather   
cute princess by the name of Aslanda. In a time when it was practically royal   
dictate that a princess should have hair in a shade of sunlight or raven or   
chestnut or titian this princess had hair that was a shade somewhere between   
raven and chestnut, but not quite either. And all princesses were to have   
eyes as blue as the sky or as green as emeralds or as gray as smoke or as   
violet as amethysts or as brown as amber. This princess, however, had eyes   
that were a color somewhere between gray and green, but not quite either.   
And unlike most other princesses who thought it best to spend their time   
inside embroidering and therefore had lovely porcelain complexions, this   
princess found it more amusing to spend her time out of doors and therefore   
developed a tan and quite a bit of freckles. While most princesses were tall   
and slim this princess was a bit on the short side and had a low grade   
addiction to chocolate which left her with a bit of a potbelly.  
  
Needless to say Aslanda was not like other princesses.  
  
Her parents, not wanting their daughter to feel inferior to the other   
princesses, kept her at home. Aslanda had only to look at her mother, who   
was perhaps the most beautiful woman in the world, to know the real reason   
she was confined to Teribanta. Not knowing that her parents were foolishly   
trying to shelter her, she assumed that they were ashamed of her awkward   
appearance. She managed to hide her hurt and contented herself at the castle   
and surrounding lands, never straying, least she bring her parents shame.   
  
Since the world outside her kingdom had not seen her they were left to   
wonder at her lack of debut in society. Rumors quickly spread from kingdom   
to kingdom that the princess of Teribanta was the loveliest to be found.   
Many princes, being shallow creatures, flocked to Teribanta to see this   
beauty with their own eyes and beg for her hand in marriage.  
  
Imagine the King and Queen's surprise when they awoke one morning and   
found their courtyard full of princes begging for their daughters hand in   
marriage. Aslanda, who had been awakened hours before dawn by the princely   
racket, decided that though they'd ruined her chance of sleep, she wouldn't   
let them ruin her day. So she hurried out the side door and left her parents   
to deal with the rude individuals in the courtyard.  
  
She found the village also flocked with princes seeking lodgings for   
their stay in Teribanta, as the castle was already filled to capacity with   
the early arrivers. 'I wonder what brought on the rush of rude young men to   
the kingdom?' She pondered to herself.  
  
'They've come to seek the hand of Princess Aslanda.' a voice behind her   
answered.  
  
Aslanda spun to see who had answered her and caught her breath at the   
most stunning man she'd every seen. He had hair as golden as the sun itself   
and his eyes were bluer than a summer sky. 'And why would so many come to   
court a girl they've never met?'  
  
'Because it is rumored that to look upon her is to look upon beauty   
itself.' he answered simply.  
  
'That's the silliest nonsense I've ever heard. I suppose it wouldn't   
matter if she had the personality of a shrew and was a dumb as a brick as   
long as she was pleasant to look upon.'  
  
He shrugged. 'To some, good breeding is all that matters.'  
  
'And do I correctly conclude that you are one of those people, as you   
are here with the rest of the fools.' she taunted.  
  
'Well I wouldn't consider myself a fool but I suppose a lovely wife, no   
matter how boring, would be better than a plain one.'  
  
'Then you are a fool. I hope she bores you to tears.' Aslanda replied   
preparing to walk away.  
  
'Wait. I couldn't help but notice by your dress that you must have some   
bearing in the palace. Perhaps you could tell me what she's like.'  
  
'I suppose you're looking for a girl who is soft spoken and as delicate   
as a lily.'  
  
He nodded.  
  
'And I imagine she must have hair blacker than midnight and eyes the   
loveliest violet shade imaginable. And skin like porcelain and as soft as   
rose petals. She would of course spend all her time embroidering and   
learning how best to serve her husband.' The last word came out in a sneer   
as the prince nodded finding the description quite agreeable indeed.  
  
'Then she is all the things and more. I wish you luck. Good day.' And   
with that she walked away leaving the prince to daydream of his life with   
Princess Aslanda.  
  
'Wants hair as black as midnight, does he. Obedient and delicate to   
boot. I'd like to show him delicate.' She muttered angrily as she stalked   
away. She stopped in the middle of the meadow and sat down, pinching the   
bridge of her nose. 'Why did I tell him all those things about the princess?   
He'll only show up tomorrow and find it's me then run away screaming.' She   
managed a smile for the image of the prince running away, even it was at her   
expense. 'I just wish I wasn't so terribly normal looking. What I wouldn't   
give for raven hair.' She trailed of wistfully.  
  
'What's wrong with the way you look now, child?'   
  
Aslanda jumped and turned her head to find a old woman sitting beside   
her. 'Where did you come from?'  
  
'I think you look like quite a lovely young person! Why if I were you I   
wouldn't change a thing about myself!'  
  
'You don't understand though. It's different for me. All my life I've   
had to endure my parents looking at me and seeing every imperfection. I'll   
feel simply horrible about myself when I'm announced and have to see that   
same look of disappointment on all those men's faces when they finally see   
that the beauty they traveled so far to see is only a common girl.'  
  
'I'm sure if you look only under the surface you'll see there's nothing   
common about you.' The woman suggested.  
  
'But that doesn't matter. Not to royalty.'  
  
'I see my child, I understand. I was once young and foolish myself.'  
  
'I'm not being foolish, merely realistic.'  
  
'And if you were to change anything about yourself...'  
  
'It would be everything. I'm so tired of being a disappointment,   
perhaps if I was beautiful my parents and everyone else would quit treating   
me like a misfit.'  
  
'Very well my child. See the difference a new you makes.' And with that   
she faded away.  
  
Aslanda, not knowing what to make of the woman's sudden appearance and   
disappearance brushed herself off and headed home. It was only when she   
chanced by a lake she saw her reflection and gasped. In place of her dark   
brown hair were locks as black as midnight. And her once gray green eyes   
were now the loveliest shade of violet. Her freckles and tan had disappeared   
and been replaced by a fetching alabaster complexion.  
  
'There she is!' cried a voice in the distant.  
  
'It's Princess Aslanda!' called another. She turned to see a stampede   
of princes heading towards her at full speed. Without a second thought to   
her changed image, she lifted her skirts and ran towards the castle. But the   
muscles she'd developed from all the time spent walking about her land were   
gone with her former appearance and she soon found herself surrounded by   
eager young princes.   
  
'Dear lady, I am Prince Edgar from the land of Canablasti. If you   
marry me I will shower you with gold.' Before she could reply another voice   
cut in.  
  
'Princess Aslanda, I am Prince Harry.' And indeed, he was. 'If you   
marry me I'll shower you with gold and jewels.'  
  
Not to be outdone another prince spoke up. 'If you marry me I'll shower   
you with riches beyond compare and every night I'll sing ballads praising   
your beauteous appearance.'  
  
'And what of love gentlemen. Would you love me? Do you love me now at   
this instant?' Aslanda called out above the proposals. Every man present   
vehemently proclaimed he did and would always.   
  
'Then all of you claim that you love a girl you just met and know   
nothing about?' She questioned. The men seeing nothing absurd about this   
agreed again.  
  
'You really must excuse me gentlemen I have duties to attend to at   
home. If you'll just let me pass.' The sea of princes quickly parted at her   
bidding and she hurried off.  
  
'Princess, if you marry me...' a voice called out but she ignored it   
and continued home.  
  
  
By the time she entered her chamber she was in a ghastly mood. 'The day   
I see another prince will be too soon.' she thought as she stalked about the   
room.  
  
'The girl who spoke of your beauty was right.' said a voice behind her.  
  
Her eyes narrowed angrily. 'That idiot from the village. We'll just see   
how he likes the princess of his dreams.' she thought before turning around   
a sweet smile replacing the scowl that had just occupied her lips.  
  
She giggled in an ear splitting tone. "'How sweet of you to say so. Of   
course I hear it so often it seems such a common thing to say. Couldn't you   
at least say that my eyes shine like stars, that you'd never seen real   
beauty 'til now or something of the like?'  
  
'The heavens must be weeping at the loss of such an angel.' he offered.  
  
She quelched the urge to roll her eyes and clapped her hands together   
as if in delight instead. 'I don't believe I've heard that one before. You   
really are quite charming! Yes, that's what I shall call you from now on.  
Would you care to stay for dinner?' He nodded and reverently told her that   
any time spent with her would be a gift from the gods.   
  
Luckily Aslanda's parents had retired early for evening and she didn't   
have to explain her sudden change of appearance. All through dinner Aslanda   
did her best to send the princes running. She laughed loudly and at the   
highest pitch possible at everything they said, even though their talk   
wasn't meant to be funny. Whenever it was her duty to steer the conversation   
she talked of gowns and balls she hoped to attend. By the end of the night a   
few princes were still nodding gamely at everything she said, but the   
majority were staring sullenly at their plates, regretting the day they'd   
ever heard of Teribanta and it's princess of beauty beyond compare. When one   
fed up soul dared to leave the table while she was drawing a breath to go on   
she threw a fit that had the castle walls shaking. Most princes managed to   
cover their ears before any damage was done, but one young man lost complete   
hearing in his left ear and never completely regained it. By the time dinner   
was over, Prince Charming was the only one not waiting for a chance to sneak   
away. While everyone else quickly filed out the prince stayed behind.  
  
'Princess, I find your company to be delightful. Say you'll go riding   
with me tomorrow.'  
  
Aslanda would have ground her teeth if he wasn't staring so intently at   
her. 'I'm afraid I don't know how to ride.' she lied.  
  
'How about a stroll around town?' He pressed on.  
  
'I have terrible allergies this time of year.' She said with a sweet   
smile.  
  
'I do want to see you. Perhaps I could call on you here tomorrow?'  
  
She ducked her head and silently cursed the brainless sod. 'That would   
be wonderful. I'll be in the solar perfecting my cross stitch. Ta!' she said   
between her teeth and she sailed past him and out the door, barely suppressing   
the urge to stomp on his foot as she passed.  
  
She found her self more than weary as she trudged up the steps to her   
bedroom. She paused at the mirror on her wall and stared at herself. Her   
raven tresses didn't seem so lovely anymore. They were heavy and quite   
frankly made the back of her neck itch. And she didn't like her eyes at all,   
she discovered. Purple seemed a ridiculous color for ones eyes now that she   
took the time to think on it. She scowled at her treacherous reflection as   
she stifled a yawn. She wasn't usually this worn out so soon. Her frail body   
was turning out to be irritating in it's lack of stamina. And the alabaster   
skin that had seemed so lovely in the sunlight seem pallid to her now. 'If   
this is beauty I can live without it.' she cried to herself as she climbed   
into bed. 'I was perfect just the way I was. I just wish I had realized it   
before.' And as she trailed of to sleep an old woman smiled at the edge of   
the forest.  
  
  
The next day the prince met her in the solar. As she struggled with   
needlepoint she let him talk about his life back home. He spoke of his   
beloved palace by the sea. She wrinkled her delicate nose and told him that   
the sea air did horrible things to her complexion. Not to mention the horrid   
smell of it. If she were ever to marry, her husband would build her a castle   
as far away from the dreadful sea as possible. He spoke of his triumphs on   
the battlefield. She gave a shrill squeal before informing him that battles   
were nasty business and anyone who fought them was no more than a silly boy   
playing dress up. If she were ever to marry, her husband must never go to   
battle. Why the very thought of all that blood made her shudder. He spoke of   
his love for outdoors. She shook her head before informing him that the   
outside world was full of dirt, animals, and insects. She did not like the   
outdoors one bit, and hardly ventured outside unless it was absolutely   
necessary. If she were ever to marry, her husband must keep her company and   
spend his days indoors too.   
  
'The way she complains,' Thought the prince. 'She'll never find a   
man willing to marry her. She may be beautiful, but not beautiful enough to   
put up with til death do us part.' He stood and quickly excused himself but   
before he could leave the room she called out and stopped him.  
  
'Are you going to leave without asking for my hand in marriage? I   
might just say yes.' she smiled coyly.  
  
By now the prince could feel the beginnings of a headache throbbing   
at his temples. 'Let's just be friends.' he replied quickly. When she opened   
her mouth to protest he said a fast farewell and took off towards town to   
collect his things and continue home.  
  
'And that,' Said the princess as she did a little dance of triumph.   
'Takes care of that.'  
  
  
Her joy did not last long however. She found that though the princes   
were no longer around to pester her about her beauty, there were still   
plenty of people at the castle and in the village who couldn't help but   
compliment her on her newfound perfection. She ended up throwing her hands   
up in the air with disgust halting one subject mid-sentance. 'That's it. I   
can't take it anymore! Was I really so horrid to look at before? Why is it   
that everyone here is so concerned with aesthetics anyway? I don't care how   
pleasing you may find this new improved me, if I could go back to my old   
form I would!' She yelled before stomping off in the direction of the meadow   
where she'd met the old woman.  
  
The old woman wasn't in the meadow so Aslanda continued onto the   
forest, reasoning that she'd never seen the old woman in the village so she   
must live in the woods. She made the mistake of straying off the path and   
she soon found herself lost. She decided the wisest thing to do would be to   
sit down and wait for someone to find her. Surely by now her parents had   
sent out a search party for her. She rested her back against an old tree and   
promptly fell asleep.  
  
Her parents had sent out a search party, and one member chanced upon   
Aslanda's sleeping form. But her parents had sent him with the impression   
he was looking for a lass with brown hair and a short build, certainly not   
the tall raven haired beauty sleeping before him, so he left her sleeping at   
the base of the old tree and continued on his search.   
  
In the short hours before dawn another young man happened upon Aslanda's   
sleeping form. But unlike the individual before him, he lifted Aslanda into   
his arms and carried her away.  
  
  
Aslanda woke to the banging of pots together and a male voice muttering   
something unintelligible. She groaned and sat up.  
  
The sounds seemed to come from what was surely the kitchen area. Inside   
was a average looking man of medium height with brown hair and brown eyes.   
  
On the table Aslanda saw a stack of slightly charred pancakes and a   
stack of burned toast beside it. She took the seat nearest to her and was   
told to help herself. When she inquired about his name, he told her it was   
Gareth and went back to shoveling food into his mouth. Good manners dictated   
she press forward with conversation and she thanked him for giving her   
shelter and food. He merely grunted. It wasn't until she assured him that   
she'd be on her way soon that he took time to pause from his meal.  
  
'As much as I'd like to see you off soon, it's not going to happen. No   
one's going anywhere in that fog.' He gestured to the window and Aslanda   
found that all she could see was white. 'It could last for days, it could   
last for weeks. Until it lifts we're stuck together.'  
  
'Oh my.' Aslanda whispered looking down at her plate. He parents would   
be in a frenzy by the time she got home. She studied the man in front of her   
as she nibbled on toast. Odd, he hadn't seemed to care about her appearance   
one lick. Why any other man would have at least told her how lovely she   
looked. 'Tell me something, what color are my eyes?'  
  
Gareth gave her disgruntled once over. 'Purple.' He said shortly.  
  
'And I suppose my hair is...?' Aslanda inquired helpfully.   
  
'Black.' He turned his attention back to his plate.   
  
How bizarre! He didn't proclaim her hair to be raven or blacker than   
midnight. And he had called her eyes purple. Not something lovely like   
violet or lavender. Her appearance did not seem to effect him in the least.   
If anything at all, he seemed repulsed by it. 'Is there something offensive   
about the way I look?' she blurted out.  
  
'No, there's nothing offensive about the way you look, just the way you   
obsess about it. You'd best learn now that beauty does not stay forever. One   
day your beautiful face will be covered in wrinkles, your delicate body   
bloated with overindulgence.'  
  
'I can't wait!' Aslanda exclaimed before she'd spoken out loud  
  
Gareth gave her an odd look before standing up and leaving the table.   
  
The next few days passed with relative ease for both occupants of the   
cottage in the middle of nowhere. Aslanda spent her time tidying the cottage   
up (It was quite messy, Gareth apparently had no idea what a mop or broom   
was.) and cooking meals (Gareth couldn't cook either. It was surprising that   
he hadn't poisoned himself yet.). Gareth stayed in the barn tending to the   
animals as long as possible before going back to the house. He tried not to   
be charmed by the little touches she added to his rooms. He endeavored not   
to be intrigued by the air of mystery she carried with her. He tried most of   
all not to like the soul hidden inside that wretchedly beautiful body. He   
failed. By the end of the third night there he was totally and completely   
charmed and had stopped trying to deny it. She on the other hand, had   
realized by the second night that underneath his gruff exterior was an   
interesting, kind man and set about making him her friend. He found he   
didn't even mind her constant chatter after awhile. They passed seven   
evenings talking by the fire.   
  
On the morning of the eighth day the fog was gone and Aslanda found   
herself quite heartbroken. She really didn't want to leave this isolated   
little cottage or it's owner. She feared she might have accidentally given   
her heart to him without realizing it. She chided herself for being so   
careless. While he treated her with a great deal more kindness than he did   
when she first arrived, he was by no means in love with her. Her train of   
thought was broken by the sound of Gareth shouting at someone outside. She   
rushed to the window and saw him arguing with a very handsome man on a white   
horse.  
  
'For the last time Daruis, I will not go home with you! Turn around and   
trot home to Mom and Dad, tell them you saw me, that I'm in perfect health   
and as surly as ever! And leave me in peace!' Gareth shouted.  
  
'It's been a year Gareth. Don't you think this isolation business has   
gone far enough?' The man prodded gently.  
  
'You don't know how it is for me back there Daruis. I can't bear to see   
our parents look at me and see every newfound imperfection. I hate to be a   
disappointment.'  
  
'Gareth, they love you. It wouldn't matter to them if you had two heads   
and ten billion warts.'  
  
'But it would matter to me. Whether they realize it or not, I almost   
hear what they're thinking when I'm around them. 'Maybe the spell will just   
wear off on it's own.' 'Maybe he'll be back to his old self soon.' Until   
they can accept that this is me from now on I can't face them. Don't ask me   
to again.'  
  
'As you like Gareth. If I thought you could find happiness in this   
dreadful forest you've isolated yourself in, I'd wish it to you.' Daruis   
said turning and spurring her horse away.  
  
'Perhaps I already have brother.' he whispered to himself before   
calling loudly to Aslanda. 'You can come out now Aslanda.' .  
  
She hurried outside and stood behind him waiting for him to say   
something. When he didn't, she decided to blurt out the only thing she could   
think of. 'I know what it's like to have you parents look at you with   
disappointment.'  
  
'How could you possibly know what it's like. You're beautiful, inside   
and out.' Gareth muttered bitterly.  
  
'Not always. Two weeks ago I as average looking as could be. I had been   
all my life and because of it my parents keep me confined to our lands. One   
day an old woman appeared beside me while I was feeling sorry for myself and   
I told her I wished I was beautiful. Next thing I know she disappears and I   
look like this.' He was staring at her now with open curiosity as she   
continued. 'And it didn't take me long to realize that this was overrated.   
This delicate body gets tired and worn out after five minutes of hard work.   
Nitwits were begging my hand in marriage the moment they saw my face.   
Everyone had some kind of comment on how appealing I was. My parents never   
got a chance to see me, but I can imagine their reactions to my new   
appearance would be somewhere along the lines of relief and elation.' She   
stopped and looked at him helplessly, waiting for his reaction.  
  
'I haven't always looked this way either.' He sat down and motioned her   
to do the same. 'I was once very handsome and I knew it. I hate to think of   
myself the way I was then. I was as conceited and selfish as one can be. For   
reasons I still can't name one of the local girls fancied herself in love   
with me. She tried everything in her power to gain my love, but eventually I   
told her that I could never love her. She was not of royal blood or most   
importantly lovely enough to hold my interest. She cursed me to look   
ordinary until the day I died or found true love. As soon as others saw me,   
pity entered their eyes and eventually I could not stand to be around   
anything beautiful. I had every intent of closing myself off from the rest   
of my world for the rest of my life...until you.' He took her hand.   
'Aslanda, you've turned my life upside down since you've been here and I   
can't bear to think of it being turned right side up when you leave. You're   
annoying, persistent,' She bristled but he continued. 'Generous and caring.   
I find that I wouldn't even mind going back home and facing my old life, as   
long as you were by my side. I wouldn't care if you were as ugly as a toad   
as long as you were still my Aslanda underneath.' He leaned towards her and   
kissed her then.   
  
When he drew back Aslanda opened her eyes and gasped. Gareth did not   
look like the man she had fallen in love with. He still had brown eyes, but   
this man's eyes were lighter and had gold flecks in them. His hair wasn't   
light brown, but instead a dark mahogany shade and his once nondescript   
features had refined themselves. She could honestly say he was the most   
handsome man she had seen, more handsome than the prince from the market   
place, more handsome then even her father. 'Aslanda, is that you.' the man   
inquired in Gareth's voice.  
  
She nodded and looking down at her hands saw that they were not pallid,   
but rather tan and healthy looking. Not caring that Gareth was present she   
pulled her skirt up enough past her ankles to see that her legs were no   
longer skinny and weak but sleek and well muscled. She pulled at her hair   
and saw it was back to it's original brown black color. Without any words,   
merely squeals of joy she pulled Gareth into a hug and started dancing   
around. She barely even noticed she was almost a foot shorter than him.   
'It's me Gareth. It's really me!' She pulled back and studied him. 'Oh my,   
you really are handsome. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm not at all   
beautiful anymore.'  
  
He silenced her with a kiss on the nose and told her that she looked   
lovelier than ever before. Aslanda had only to look in her eyes to see that   
he was completely sincere.   
  
  
They decided that since they never wanted to part, marriage was a   
reasonable option. Everyone was invited - their relatives, their friends,   
the old woman, and even Aslanda's former suitors. It was a merry event full   
laughter and dancing. When she found a free moment, Aslanda pulled the old   
woman aside. 'I know you are the reason I changed, but are you also the   
reason I changed back?'  
  
'Somewhat, yes. You see my dear, the spell I put on you was to end, not   
only when you loved yourself , but when you truly believed someone else   
could. I'm delighted you found such a man, my dear.'  
  
'Yes,' mummered Aslanda as her eyes met her Garreth's and he started   
towards her to claim her for yet another dance. 'Yes, I'm rather delighted   
about that myself. Thank you for helping me find him.'  
  
'Oh no, child. You found him on your own. I merely opened your eyes a   
bit.'  
  
Aslanda gave her a grateful smile over her shoulder as her husband led   
her out to the dance floor, the sound of the old woman's laughter following   
them. 


End file.
